Top positive review

It's a shame that the Moodys aren't given the credit that they deserve. I think it may be that, as with The Who influenced the English Punk movement of the late seventies, Prog Rock owns a large dept to The Moody Blues, but unfortunately is a way-less cool genre of music.

Ok, to the album. It has a great rag-bag feel to the sound, which makes a nice chance to the usual polished studio versions of these songs."Question" uses electric instead of acoustic guitars, creating an great AC/DC style riff (excellent!).You also get expanded versions of "Have you Heard" & "Legend of a Mind" & an absolutely raucous finale with "Ride My See Saw", played at a brake neck speed.

My only criticism of that album is that there's no talking between the songs, which would have given the occasion a greater sense of its importance.

Top critical review

I've been a lover of the Moodies music for as long as can remember. I remember the anticipation and pure excitement as I waited to see the latest amazing album cover on display in my favourite record shop, they never disappointed me, until now. I never got to see them live but new of their reputation for being a top class live act. When I became aware of IOW cd I new I had to have it. Well it arrived promptly I have to say and without delay I inserted disc, sat back and waiting for the music to wash over me. What a rude awakening I got. It sounded like I'd wandered into a working man's club where an aging tribute band were doing their best but couldn't quite remember the words or what order the notes came in. I find hard to believe the band approved the release of this travesty

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It's a shame that the Moodys aren't given the credit that they deserve. I think it may be that, as with The Who influenced the English Punk movement of the late seventies, Prog Rock owns a large dept to The Moody Blues, but unfortunately is a way-less cool genre of music.

Ok, to the album. It has a great rag-bag feel to the sound, which makes a nice chance to the usual polished studio versions of these songs."Question" uses electric instead of acoustic guitars, creating an great AC/DC style riff (excellent!).You also get expanded versions of "Have you Heard" & "Legend of a Mind" & an absolutely raucous finale with "Ride My See Saw", played at a brake neck speed.

My only criticism of that album is that there's no talking between the songs, which would have given the occasion a greater sense of its importance.

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the recording do not sound very well, the equipment? the recording?, also some songs as Justin says "I noticed that the band had started to fiddle around with songs and get away from the original recorded versions"... anyway the moodies are a great band and this is a must for every fan of them, it is really a shame that do not exist a very good recording of the original band, the seventh sojourn band, with all his strength live, the insert says there will be also a dvd edition of all this concert, we are waiting for...Thank you Justin

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I've been a lover of the Moodies music for as long as can remember. I remember the anticipation and pure excitement as I waited to see the latest amazing album cover on display in my favourite record shop, they never disappointed me, until now. I never got to see them live but new of their reputation for being a top class live act. When I became aware of IOW cd I new I had to have it. Well it arrived promptly I have to say and without delay I inserted disc, sat back and waiting for the music to wash over me. What a rude awakening I got. It sounded like I'd wandered into a working man's club where an aging tribute band were doing their best but couldn't quite remember the words or what order the notes came in. I find hard to believe the band approved the release of this travesty

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Frankly, the effect of the Moody Blues on their many loyal fans is unexplainable. I know that John Peel never liked them overmuch, but then in those days, I never thought much of him, either! ;-) The Moodies are still truly superb in so many ways - yes, there's a naivety in their lyrics, but my oh my, some of those lyrics are still very powerful - and combined with the music, they take you to wonderful places in the mind. I thoroughly enjoyed this DVD.

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Like the Beatles, the guys in Moody Blues were popmusicians who turned into visionaries, thanks to their experientments with entheogenic drugs. Even writing a tribute to the illustrious (and reckless/irresponsible) Timothy Leary. And like the fab four they found their true environment in the studio, writing complex, yet catchy and engaging songs with intelligent, often spiritual lyrics.

But whereas Beatles never tried to recreate their works live, Justin Hayward & co. did their best. And as this recording from Isle of Wight demonstrates, they didn't really succeed in recreating their music on the stage (probably they should have had some extra musicians on board), and in truth none of the tracks sound as good as the studio versions.

The playing is sloppy in places, the vocals ragged. On the other hand there is a beautiful, optimistic, purple hazy atmosphere, and the songs, except the downright embarrasing "Minstrel's Song", have stood the test of time very well. Justin H.s are of course classics: "Tuesday Afternoon", "Night's In White Satin", but also his lesser known songs like "Never Had A Dream" and "Are You Siting Comfortably" are lustrious gems. Mike Pinder's "Melancholy Man" and "Have You Heard" sound moving and relevant. "Legend Of A Mind" of course a psychedelic classic.

The tapes have been mixed by Justin H. himself, which unfortunately hasn't been able to compensate for all defects of the masters.

For fans only - or for anyone interested in 'the hippy era' - but they will get an intersting historic document with definite glimpses of still artisticly relevant music. And an enjoyable hour of pleasant, high aiming music.

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This is a very special live album for a fan of their early music (which I grew up with). As the other reviewers said, far from perfectly recorded or exact to the studio recordings, and a couple of dodgy songs (it was the hippie era!), but most are well chosen and sound surprisingly fresh with a wonderful ambience. Sung with passion. A stonking Gypsy to open, and plenty of gems off the first three albums. Are You Sitting Comfortably and Have You Heard (off Threshold) give me goosebumps. And Tuesday Afternoon, perhaps one of the best songs ever written. For completists the live version of Sunset is completely different from the orchestral version on DOFP and is worth the price alone in my opinion, a perfect choice for the live show at dusk. One of my favourite CD's. It really captures the Moodies' wonder and awe live. Very emotional, this is what music is all about, I would have given my eye teeth to have been there. Thank you guys!

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Having heard Live Plus Five, I had a good idea of what to expect from this CD as the set list was similar having been recorded about a year later.A mixed bag, and I agree with the negative and positive reviews of the album.Yes, the vocals are strained at times and the harmonies a bit wobbly. Yes there are times when the mellotron goes wobbly (either that or the master tape is at fault. I think it's the mellotron though!)The sound quality is alright but not pristine.and yet. . . and yet. . .Where this scores over the later live albums of the 1990's and 2002 is that this captures the Moodies at a time when they were at their creative peak and the songs were new and fresh (the oldest songs here were only 3 years old at the time). This means that the songs still feel fresh and as though the artists are actually meaning what they sing. The later recordings are pristine but somewhat colourless (and also contain some of the later MOR songs from their later albums). This recording also has Mike Pinder on and therefore includes some of his songs which the later albums lack.So, on reflection, I would say if you are a starter or casual Moody Blues listener, avoid this album. However, if you really like the band and want another perspective of them its well worth the listen and getting hold of.

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